Is there anything I can do now to prevent lipodystrophy, lipoatrophy, or wasting in the future. I was recently infected and was detected very, very early. I have been put on combination therapy for the past month. I have been concious of my diet and exercise but I am not sure it is enough? Can you give me some answers?

Response from Ms. Fields-Gardner

It is worth making the effort to prevent problems. Stable weight is very important in preventing problems down the line.

I would recommend that you talk with your team about the risk factors you might personally have for such changes and deal with each of them as far as possible. Check out your diet and exercise habits to see that they are helpful for you and address issues of health and insulin resistance. Stop smoking and seriously limit drinking alcohol. Keep an eye out for any changes and tell your team that you will want to work with them to be vigilant.

Some changes are related to age and family history. If you have a family history of diabetes or insulin resistance it will be especially important to keep a close watch.

Some changes may be related to the amount of time you have been HIV infected and how long you are on therapy, especially if the viral load was initially quite high and the t-cell count was quite low.

In general, it is difficult to prove "prevention" of much of anything without the long-term studies required to make such statements. Meanwhile, it is certainly worth working to stack the deck in your favor. Best wishes!

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